RetailDetail EU
Europe - EN
  • België - NL
  • Belgique - FR
  • Nederland - NL
  • Europe - EN
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Sign in user
  • News
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Electronics
    • Beauty/Care
    • DIY/Garden
    • Leisure
    • General
  • RetailDetail Plus
  • Events
  • Hunts
  • RetailHub
  • Advertising & Partnerships
    • EVENT PARTNERSHIPS
    • PRINT ADVERTISING
    • ONLINE ADVERTISING
RetailDetail EU
Europe - EN
  • België - NL
  • Belgique - FR
  • Nederland - NL
  • Europe - EN
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Sign in user
  • News
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Electronics
    • Beauty/Care
    • DIY/Garden
    • Leisure
    • General
  • RetailDetail Plus
  • Events
  • Hunts
  • RetailHub
  • Advertising & Partnerships
    • EVENT PARTNERSHIPS
    • PRINT ADVERTISING
    • ONLINE ADVERTISING
thumb
Written by Pauline Neerman
In this article
  • Companies Primark
  • Topics E-commerce
  • Geography United Kingdom
Share article
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • email

Primark: “Home delivery will not happen”

icon
Fashion5 January, 2023

There is no way Primark will ever introduce full-fledged e-commerce, its owner AB Foods stated. Anything more than click&collect would simply leave no margin.

No margin left

Last autumn, Primark (finally, according to many customers) started testing online order collection in 25 British locations, including an ‘online-only’ children’s range. At launch, the public interest was so great that the webshop crashed.

However, Primark did not see this as a sign that e-commerce is the right way and it should move towards home deliveries as well. Only in the peak of the the pandemic did Primark briefly consider “clearing stock to accumulate cash” via platforms such as Zalando or Asos, but as soon as it looked like shops would be allowed to reopen, that idea was quickly shelved.

As its prices are so low and its shopping baskets are so small, e-commerce would take away not just a part but actually all of the margin at the fashion discounter, CEO George Weston of parent holding company AB Foods told the Financial Times. Only pick-up at a retail outlet is an option, as the retailer is counting on people to then buy something extra in the stores straight away – even if it is just a something little like nail polish.

Physical only growth path

Primark also does not believe that Covid has definitively buried offline retail: the chain says it now has a greater market share in many countries than before the pandemic. The fact that sales in some European markets have not yet recovered, on the other hand, Weston attributes to general market conditions.

Instead, growth has to come from good, old-fashioned physical expansion, the fashion discounter believes. For example, Primark is still looking to move into Romania and Slovakia, while also continuing its expansion in the United States. The Irish chain started its US activities in Boston, with its many Irish-American residents, but expanded southwards when the formula caught on with lower income groups and Spanish-speaking Americans.

Stay up-to-date

Receive our free newsletters and do not miss out on the latest retail news.

Subscribe
logo

There is no way Primark will ever introduce full-fledged e-commerce, its owner AB Foods stated. Anything more than click&collect would simply leave no margin.

More on Fashion
See more
  • icon
    Fashion24 March, 2023
    Galeria appoint Olivier van den Bossche as CEO

    The ailing department store group Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof has appointed Olivier van den Bossche as its new CEO. The Belgian, who has some history with constituents of the merger group, now has to lead the chain back to growth.

  • icon
    Fashion24 March, 2023
    Nike sees sales soar, but stocks sink margins

    Nike recorded an impressive 14 % sales growth in the past quarter, even though large stocks are eating away at its margins. The trainer giant says 2023 will be "volatile", but that it is prepared for that.

  • icon
    Fashion21 March, 2023
    Dutch Scotch & Soda files for bankruptcy

    Dutch fashion label Scotch & Soda has filed for bankruptcy for its domestic stores. Owner Sun Capital cites "serious cash flow problems" as the reason. The 200 shops the chain has outside of the Netherlands are not affected (yet).

Events
  • 20
    Apr
    RetailDetail Congress
  • 11
    May
    Fashion & Beauty Congress
  • 15
    Jun
    Human Resources & People Congress
  • 29
    Jun
    Food Congress
Most read
  • icon
    Fashion3 March, 2023
    LVMH eager for luxury merger with Richemont
  • icon
    Fashion15 March, 2023
    Zara increases its competitive edge over H&M
  • icon
    Food7 March, 2023
    Delhaize to sell all Belgian stores
  • icon
    Food9 March, 2023
    Week-long strike at Belgian Delhaize stores
Follow RetailDetail
  • socialFacebook
  • socialTwitter
  • socialInstagram
  • sociallinkedIn
footer-logo
RetailDetail, the leading b2b-retailcommunity in the Benelux, keeps retail professionals up-to-date by means of online & offline publications, retail events, inspiring retail hunts and the unique co-creation platform retailhub, where retailers and their suppliers can experience the future of shopping.
RetailDetail Mailing Address:
Kolveniersstraat 7, bus 26 
2000 Antwerp
Visiting address:
Stadsfeestzaal – Meir 78 
2000 Antwerp
How to reach us:
Directions
© 2023 RetailDetail
general conditions | privacy policy
+32 3 500 89 59 info@retaildetail.be
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Accept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT